There are days when the small people I share a home with seem to get out of bed without putting on their listening ears. Today seems to be one of those mornings. To be fair, this usually pretty mellow Grammy is trying to get ready to go out of town, and is probably not quite as mellow as she could be. Still, when my instruction to the girls was to “put on your shoes and jackets and go feed Aunt Christine’s cat,” (two doors down the block) I really didn’t expect them to run out the front door, barefooted and jacket-less! And while the morning has warmed up a bit, it is still only 50 degrees and the sidewalk is both chilly and leaf-covered.
As (bad) luck would have it, they returned straight away after the small one crashed and skinned her bare foot. And I must admit to reminding her that it wouldn’t have happened had she followed directions. (I really try to avoid the “I told you so” message…Mom never used it, even after my first marriage crashed and burned.) It seemed appropriately instructional in this instance, however.
Listening ears are not limited to small children, of course. How often do we truly listen to what our spouses are trying to tell us? So many times our listening ears need to be coupled with a listening heart, as spouses often don’t know how to say what they truly feel. And do we wear our listening ears at work, and realize what our bosses are really saying when they make requests of us? (Is that reminder of what needs to be done really a gentle rebuke that we aren’t giving our full measure to the task?)
And, most important of all, do we wear our listening ears to hear that “still, small voice” inside that warns, encourages, and challenges us to do the right thing, to stretch ourselves and move out of our comfort zone, to be the creative person of God’s design?
I challenge you today to put on your listening ears and open up to your listening heart. Amazing things are being said to you — hear them!
emtag2 said:
Challenge accepted! 🙂
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momfawn said:
Right on! – Fawn
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AnnMarie Roselli-Kissack said:
Good morning, Fawn.
Ah, those little literal listeners – they can provide hours of entertaining stories (when little ears have grown bigger 😉 ) My son used to think people got science infections and were black toast intolerant. 🙂
But, you are spot on with the listening. It’s not enough for just one’s ears to be open but one’s heart as well. The two must work in tandem. And we must always be open to receiving. I have to often remind myself of this. So thank you for reminding me today.
AM 🙂
Terrific Tuesday!
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momfawn said:
We used to sing “round young virgin, tender and mild”, and when Daddy sang “Come to me my melancholy baby”, my sister heard it a bit differently, and named her baby doll “Melon Connie”. I’m with your son, though, being black toast intolerant! 🙂 – Fawn
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AnnMarie Roselli-Kissack said:
🙂
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praw27 said:
Fawn, I totally agree! I find that I do not listen nearly as well as I should. I used to listen for a career and now I suck at it! What’s up with that??? I accept your challenge and I will extend it… Thanks. Phyl
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momfawn said:
I think sometimes the “white noise” in the world makes us retreat into a non-listening mode. My reminder is for myself, too. – Fawn
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